The invention relates to a method for, in an information distribution system comprising a plurality of stations and at least one shared resource, gaining access to the shared resource; each of the stations comprising resource status information and communication means for exchanging a status message comprising status information relating to the shared resource. The invention further relates to an information distribution system comprising a plurality of stations and at least one shared resource; each station comprising: a memory for storing resource status information; communication means for transmitting a status message comprising status information relating to the shared resource; access means for gaining access to a shared resource; and a controller for causing the access means to access a selected shared resource.
Such an information distribution may for instance be used as an audio communication network, such as a public address system or a conference system. DE 3412418 describes such a conference system which is used for simultaneous translations. A number of stations are connected via input and output audio channels and a data channel (in/out) to a central station. A station comprises an amplifier and loudspeaker for reproducing an audio signal which is received via one of the input audio channels. The stations further comprise a microphone and amplifier for generating an audio signal to be distributed via one of the output audio channels. A station may be used by up to two translators. With a manual switch in the station a translator can select one of the audio input channels. The stations comprise a controller for reading out the setting of the manual switch (selected audio channel) and setting an audio channel selector accordingly. A central station comprises communication means for bidirectional communication with the stations. The central station regularly polls the controllers of the stations in order to read out the channel selection of the stations. The central station displays all selected channels to a supervisor. The stations further have two pre-set buttons for selecting one of two pre-set output channels. The central station can send pre-set information to the stations. A special audio channel is reserved for verbal communication between the supervisor at the central computer and a translator at one of the stations. Among others, a supervisor may instruct a translator to switch to another input channel.
The audio channels in the known system are shared resources. Usually, one station acts as a source station for a specific audio channel. One or more (or even all) stations act as destination stations for the audio channel. A station may act simultaneously as a source or a destination station. As an example, the station may receive as a destination station a signal via an audio input channel and as a source station distribute a signal with a simultaneous translation via an audio output channel. The translation may be used by translators at one or more other stations to make translations in a further language. The shared resources are accessed by the local station under control of a human user. A supervisor at the central station ensures that possible conflicts (e.g. two or more source stations generating a conflicting signal at the same audio channel) are resolved by verbal communications with the users at the involved stations.